Jessica G.
'YELLOWSTONE' History Having only been "discovered" 200 years ago, Yellowstone National Park is an important National Park in the United States. It is an incredible animal reserve, geological phenomenon, and often provides a worldwide example of conservation. Native Americans have enjoyed the Yellowstone area for approximately 11,000 years. The name 'Yellowstone' derives from the Minnetaree tribe's name of "Mi tsi a da zi'" '''which is translated into "Rock Yellow River." French Trappers who explored the area adopted the name as it was an accurate description of the huge rock cliffs that the Yellowstone River cuts through. Somewhat surprisingly the famous American explorers, Lewis and Clark, bypassed Yellowstone in the early nineteenth century and it was not until the 1860s that significant white exploration began. In 1872 President Ulysses S. Grant approved the establishment of setting aside 2,219,789 acres of land (roughly the size of Connecticut) thus creating the world's first national park. Geology Yellowstone Park exists primarily in Wyoming with a portion of the park crossing the borders into Montana and Idaho. Yellowstone sits amidst the Rocky Mountains and resides on forested volcanic plateaus’ that have been eroded by glaciers and river flows over millennia. It is only within the last sixty years that the massive volcano events transpired with volcanic evidence spreading as far away as California, Iowa and the Gulf of Mexico. Such an explosion would have circulated ash across the much of the continent and disrupted normal weather patterns across the world. It is speculated that this explosion blew away half of the mountain range that is visible today, the Washburn Range. With more than 300 geysers, Yellowstone is home to more than two thirds of all the world’s geysers. Of course, this is in combination with the many, many more mud-pots, hot springs, and fumaroles, which is a hole near or in volcanoes from which steam escapes and arises. Yellowstone is a geological wonderland and is a destination for millions of tourists each year. Economy Yellowstone National Park's economy has made a major shift in the last twenty years from natural commodity extraction towards a push in tourism and recreation. Today, only 10% of Park County’s employment comes from forestry, agriculture and mining. Recreation and tourism are hugely significant to the economic stability of the Yellowstone area. Retail trade and services accounted for approximately 40%–45% of each county’s earnings. Resident elk hunters spent $54 per day while resident deer hunters spent $41 per day. Nonresident hunters associated with elk and deer hunting pay $252 and $115 per day to hunt within Yellowstone limits, respectively. Expenditures related to bison hunting can cost up to $440 per day. These fees are crucial the economy of surrounding areas. Currently there is a delicate balance (and often a lively debate) between the need for tourism and recreation money and the disrupting of nature. The souring number of tourists has the potential to hurt the environment but the benefits of such tourism cannot be denied. The entire state of Wyoming enjoys benefits from Yellowstone National Park's earning from strong public education, city infrastructure to a well maintained highway system. Animal Reserve Yellowston's innovation with the animal population continues to be an example worldwide of animal conservation. Yellowstone is home to a substantial amount of elk, bears, moose, bison, and most recently the Timber Wolf (and many more). According to "Across This Land", "Yellowstone's role as a wildlife sanctuary may become its most important one in the years ahead." The reintroduction of the Timber Wolf (Grey Wolf) into Yellowstone was a lesson in the simply balance and importance of the food chain Keeping natural preditors within Yellowstone has helped maintain the balance of the wildlife more so than any human intervention has. Future Yellowstone faces considerable changes due to the climate change and onslaught of urban development. There is a considerable amount of retirees moving to Yellowstone and the surrounding counties. While many of Yellowstone's habitats have adapted to the increasing number of tourists, scientists are finding that the approaching development has threatened the wildlife in ways that the Park cannot adapt to. While the animals are well protected within the boundaries of the Park many animals will migrate to the surrounding river valleys during the long and cold winters into areas that are rapidly disappearing into condominiums. There is continuing concern over the volcanic activity over which Yellowstone National Park resides but many people debate the validity of such concerns which is similar to the concerns that surround the debates of the effects of the Climate Crisis on Yellowstone. However, despite all debates, it cannot be denied that Yellowstone is changing at a rate faster than previously recorded and people worried at the rate in which the animals are adapting to the climate change and human intervention. Right now, there is no clear solution. But people still flock to Yellowstone National Park by the millions making it one of the most popular national parks in the country and the world. Sources Hudson, John C. ''Across this Land; A Regional Geography of the United in States and Canada. The John Hopkins University Press. Baltimore and London, 2002. http://rankinstudio.deviantart.com/art/Old-Faithful-Yellowstone-136287712 http://www.us-parks.com/yellowstone-national-park/geology.html http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/geology.htm http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94800481 http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.0030092 Rolston, Holmes III. "Biology and Philosphy in Yellowstone." 1990. http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hrolston/Bio-Phil-Yellowstone.pdf. http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/winteruse.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_National_Park